Hatch securing device



Jan. 8, 1963 P. L. GAGNON 3,072,089

HATCH SECURING DEVICE Filed June 19, 1961 IN VENTOR.

PAUL L.GAGNON BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent ()htiee Eatented Jan. 3,llfih snvaesa HATCH SECURING BEVKJE Paul L. Gagnon, 24 HarringtonTerrace, West Grange, NJ. Filed lane 19, 1% Ser. No. 123,673 4 Claims.(ill. 114-263} My invention relates to a locking device. Moreparticularly, my invention relates to a device for securely locking ahatch beam to the flange of a hatch coaming.

The present method of closing between deck cargo hatches of merchantvessels consists of lowering a series of steel beams each spanning thehatch into sockets in opposite sides of the hatch coaming such that onebeam, called a king beam, is at the center of the hatch and other beamscalled queen beams are parallel thereto, and laying boards transverselyacross the top of the queen beams, the boards being sized to spanone-half of the hatch and about the king beam. Such an arrangementpermits removal of the boards from across one-half of the hatch and alsopermits removal of queen beams supporting such boards. Thus, one-half ofthe hatch remains closed or covered for depositing cargo thereon to beloaded or unloaded from that particular deck, while the other half ofthe hatch is open for loading or unloading cargo from the deck below. Itis customary to load or unload several decks of the hold simultaneouslyand since the crane operator cannot always see into the hatch beingloaded or unloaded, it frequently occurs that the cargo or crane hookbeing raised from a deck below engages the king beam of the initiallyclosed hatch above. The normal load capacity of the crane is muchgreater than the approximately one ton weight of the king beam, so thatthe crane operator will not normally notice the slight increase in loaddue to the beam, particularly when the crane is hoisting cargo, so thatthe king beam can be inadvertently lifted out of its sockets. Thedangers of a one ton steel beam and perhaps the hatch boards falling asmuch as 30 feet into the hold below are obvious.

To guard against the possibility of the king beam becoming dislodged, itis common practice to attach lines through the beam eyes and to securethe lines to some fixed object within the hold, such as the steel workcomprising the skeleton of the ship. This practice has not been entirelysatisfactory because the lines tend to stretch and their strength is notalways sufficient to add an adequate load that would be noticed by thecrane operator. Moreover, stringing the lines through the hold creates ahazard in itself. it has also been suggested to provide holes in thebeams and in the beam supports which register when the beam is placed inthe support and to insert pins in such holes. Such a method required inpractice that only a particular beam could be placed in a particular setof supports in a particular hatch in order for the holes to register andwas not practical. Another method that has been suggested is to providethe beams with a pin rotating in a vertical plane and to provide thebeam supports with a notch adapted to receive the pin so that when thebeam is placed in the support the pin can be rotated to engage thenotch. Such a method, however, has proved unsatisfactory since the pinswere found to be readily jarred out of the notches by any slight impactreceived by the beam.

it is an object of my invention to provide a locking device for firmlysecuring a hatch beam in place.

It is another object of my invention to provide such a device which canbe employed interchangeably with any beam in any hatch.

It is a further object of my invention to provide such a device whichcannot be jarred lose by any impact received by the beam.

it is also an object of my invention to provide such a device which willnot yield until a load oi sufiicient magnitude to be noticed by a craneoperator has been applied to the device.

Briefly, my invention provides a device for securing a verticallymovable eye-containing body to a flange which extends horizontally awayfrom the vertically movable body. The device itself includes a length ofchain having a first hook means attached to one end of the chain andadapted to engage the edge of the flange which is remote from themovable body, a second hook means adapted to engage the eye of themovable body slidably mounted about the length of chain through the eyeof the second hook means and a fiat plate attached to the opposite endof the chain and provided with an opening therethrough, the chainpassing through the opening. The plate is also provided with anelongated slot conirnunicating with the opening along the transversedimension of the slot. The slot in the plate is sized to engage a linkof the chain about the smallest dimension of the link thereby preventingpassage of the chain through the plate. The second book means isdisposed along the chain between the first hook means and the plate andthe chain is rove through the opening in the plate, the opening slidablyreceiving the chain. Thus, when the elements or my device are in finedposition, the first hook means engages the edge of the flange, thesecond book means engages the eye of the movable body, the chain is tautbetween the first and second hook. means, the flat plate abuts the eyeof the second book means and the slot of the plate engages the chainlink immediately adjacent the eye of the second book means and themovable body is thcreby secured to the flange.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of my invention specificallydesigned for securing a hatch beam to the horizontal flange of the beamunder the hatch coaming on a merchant vessel, the first and second hookmeans of my device are of the type described as a versed eye hook inwhich the plane of the eye is per pendicular to the plane of the hook.in this particular embodiment the first reversed eye book can beattached to the chain by, for example, an anchor shackle. The secondreversed eye hook is then positioned on the chain so that the points ofthe first and second reversed eye hooks face each other. With thisarrangement, the plate can abut the eye of the second hook when in fixedposition.

Advantageously, the slot and opening through the fiat plate are sopositioned that they form an opening with a keyhole configuration andthe flat plate is further provided with a hole remote from the narrowportion of the keyhole and adapted to receive, for example, an anchorshackle for attaching the end of the chain to the plate. The last linkin the end of the chain attached to the ilat plate can also be providedwith some type of connecting means, such as a sister or scissors hook,so that when my device is in fixed position, the connecting means can beattached to one of the links in the taut portion of the chain therebypositively insuring that the flat plate will not be moved from itsposition of engagement with the chain link.

To describe more completely the device of my invention reference is madeto the attached drawing in which:

FlGURE l is a partially sectioned isometric view illustrating a hatch ina lower deck of a merchant vessel.

FIGURE 2 is an isometric view of the device of my invention.

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view showing a diiferent re- =3 lationship ofcertain of the members illustrated in FIG URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevation of a hatch showing the device of myinvention in its fixed position securing a hatch beam to a horizontalflange of the hatch coaming.

FIGURES 5 and 6 are isometric views showing steps to lock the plate inposition on the chain.

In FIGURE 1 the dotted line indicated by reference numeral 1% representsthe hatch opening in an upper deck and reference numeral 12 indicates ahatch opening in a lower deck. The specific elements of the lower deckhatch which are illustrated in FIGURE 1 are the brow 1d, the hatchcoaming l6, and the horizontally extending flange I3 of the beam underthe hatch coaming 16. As can be seen in this figure the brow 14 extendsslightly above the deck level about the hatch opening 12, the coaming 16extends vertically downward into the hatch, while the flange 18 extendshorizontally away from the hatch opening 12 at the lower edge of thehatch coarning 16. Disposed along the hatch coaming 16 are upwardlyopening U shaped beam sockets 2d and 21. (Only two of the beam sockets2t? and 21 can be seen in FIG- URE 1.) Also shown in FIGURE late a kingbeam 22 having a cross-section in the shape of a Latin cross and twoqueen beams 24 having a T shaped cross-section. The downwardly extendinglegs of the king beam 22 and the queen beams 24 are adapted to bereceived at each end in U shaped beam sockets 2i and 21 respectively. InFIGURE 1, one of the queen beams 24% is shown received in a beam socket22. The king beam 22 is centrally located within hatch opening I2 whenresting in socket Zti. A series of hatch boards 26 are shown positionedtransversely to the hatch beams. The hatch boards 26 are sized so as tospan one-half of the hatch opening and abut the king beam 22. The hatchboards 26 are also supported at one end at the periphery of the hatchabutting the brow l4 and by a queen beam 24. The arrangement justdescribed is typical of hatch arrangements of merchant vessels and issuch that onehalf of the hatch can be opened by removal or" hatch boards26 from one-half of the hatch followed by removal of the queen beam 24supporting those hatch boards.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, numeral 28 designates a reversed eye hookwhich is attached to a length of chain fail by means of an anchorshackle 32. A second reversed eye hook 34 is slidably positioned onchain 30' and is disposed so that the point of the reversed eye hook 34faces the point of the reversed eye hook 28. Located above reversed eyehook 34 is a flat steel plate 36. Near one end of plate 36 is a smallopening 38 to which the terminal link of chain 31? is attached by meansof anchor shackle 37. Plate 36 is also provided with a larger circularopening 49 and an elongated slot 42 communicating with circular openingat and positioned on the side of circular opening at remote from hole38. Chain 36 is slidably positioned through circular opening so. Alsoshown in FIGURE 2 is a link 44 located in chain 3@ intermediate reversedeye hooks 28 and 34. This link 4d advantageously is distinguishable fromthe other links in the chain and its function will be explained below.In practice, chain 39 is approximately 6 feet long and the link 44 islocated in the chain 34) about 44 inches distant from the tip ofreversed eye hook 23.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the function of slot 42 which is to engage a linkof chain 3% about the smallest dimension of the link and to preventpassage of the chain 3t; through the plate 36.

FIGURE 4 shows in side elevation brow l4, hatch coaming 16, horizontalflange 18, U shaped beam socket 20, king beam 22 and hatch boards 26 asalso illustrated in FIGURE 1. In this enlarged view a doubler d6 havinga lifting eye 48 for lifting the beam is shown aifixed to the end ofking beam 22. Doubler t6 and king beam 22 are received in beam socket20. in FIGURE 4 a device of FIGURE 2 of my invention is shown in itsfixed position securing king beam 22 to the horizontally extendingflange 1% in which reversed eye hook 28 engages the edge of flange 13,reversed eye hook 34 engages the lifting eye 48 in doubler 46, chain 39i taut between reversed eye hook 28 and reversed eye hook 34, plate 36abuts the eye of hook 3 2 and slot 42 engages the link of chain 3%? nextadjacent the eye of reversed eye hook 3 t thereby preventing movement ofthe chain 30 through the plate 36.

To lock a beam in place with the device shown in FIG- URE 2, the secondreversed eye hook 34 and the plate 36 are held by the operator in onehand with plate 36 on top, the chain 343 is played out through thecircular opening it) in the plate 36 and the eye of reversed eye hook 34until the link 44 has passed through both the circular opening 4t? andthe eye of hook 34. Then, with the operator standing on the hatch boards26 above king beam 22 adjacent to hatch coaming 16 and the point ofreversed eye hook 28 facing the hatch coaming 16 the chain is swungtoward the hatch coarning 16. Simply by maintaining the link 44 levelwith the top edge of the hatch coaming during the swing, the chain 30and first reversed eye hook 28 swing out and under the hatch coaming 16and reversed eye hook 28 engages the edge of flange I8. This requires noparticular skill on the part of the operator. The impetus given reversedeye hook 28 and the lower portion of chain 30 by the chain striking thejunction of hatch coaming l6 and flange 18 permits hook 255 to engageflange 18 on nearly every attempt. After engagement of first reversedeye hook 28, second reversed eye hook 3% is moved along the chain 30 andplaced into eye 48. The slack in the chain between first and secondreversed eye hooks 28 and 34 is then picked up and th chain made taut.Chain 3% is then pulled through circular opening 40 in plate 36 untilplate 36 is hard against the eye of hook 34. Plate 36 is then pulleddown between the links of chain 36 in such a manner that slot 42 engagesthe link of chain 30 immediately adjacent the eye of hook 3 That portionof chain 30 between slot 42 and the terminal end of chain 36 connectedto plate 36 by means of hole 38 is then released. The weight of thisslack portion of the chain is sufficient to maintain plate 36 invertical position and prevent its jumping out from between the links ofchain 30.

Also illustrated in FIGURE 4 is a particularly advantageous embodimentof my invention in which a scissor or sister hook Sti is permanentlyattached to anchor shackle 3'7 connecting the terminal link of chain 3%to plate Thus, after plate 36 has been pulled down between the links ofchain 36 in such a manner that slot 42 engages the link of chainimmediately adjacent the eye of hook 34, the scissor opening portion ofsister or scissor hook 56 is attached to the nearest link of chain 3% inthe portion of chain 3t) maintained taut between hooks 28 and 34,thereby further insuring that plate 36 will not jump out from betweenthe links of chain 30.

I have found that a device of my invention is satisfactory wherein thecomponent parts are sized and connected as follows: The reversed eyehooks have an overall length of approximately 8 /2 inches and the chainemployed is any of the standard size coil chains having a suificientproof test for the particular requirements of usage, for example, a inchdiameter coil chain having a proof test of 3,720 pounds is normallyquite adequate. With such a chain a /s inch anchor shackle is used toattach the chain to the reversed eye hook or a welded connecting linkcan be used in lieu of the shackle. Also a /3 inch anchor shackle orwelded connecting link can connect the other end of the chain to thelocking plate. The shape and dimensions of the locking plate can varydepending upon the dimensions of the other members. Thus, employing theinch diameter coil chain in which the links are approximately 2%s incheslong by 1 inches wide, the following dimensions will be adequate forplate Inches Thickness Overall length 6% Width 3 Diameter of hole 38 /8Diameter of opening 40 1% Length of slot 42 1% Width of slot 42 /2Further, as shown in the drawing, the end of plate 36 proximate slot 42can be semi-circular and the corners of the plate proximate hole 38rounded. The rounded corners provide protection to the operator byelimination of sharp edges, while the semi-circular end of the plate isdesigned to correspond to the shape of the eye of the second reversedeye hook. Most advantageously, the plate 36 is sized so that thedistance between the outer end of the slot 42 and the semi-circular endof the plate corresponds to the outside radius of the eye of the secondreversed eye hook. With a plate so sized, the chain 30 is pulled throughcircular opening 40 in plate 36 until the plate 36 positioned with itslongitudinal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of hook 34 ishard against the eye of hook 34. Still in this position, the plate ispulled between the links of chain 30 in such a manner that slot 42engages the link of chain 30 immediately adjacent the eye of hook 34.Plate 36 is then twisted ninety degrees and is locked in place due tothe fact that the curved portion of the body of the hook overlies thesemi-circular end of the plate. This arrangement is shown in FIGURES 5and 6.

The particular device made from components having the dimensions weighsapproximately 24 pounds. The weight of the apparatus can be reducedalmost one-half by the use of a inch chain with a proof test of about2500 pounds. Also if the desired load strength of the apparatus isincreased or lessened, it can be sized accordingly.

I claim:

1. A device for securing a vertically movable eye containing body to afixed flange extending away from the body, which device includes a chainhaving a first hook means attached to one end of the chain for engagingthe edge of the flange remote from the movable body, a second hook meansfor engaging the eye of the body, the second hook means being slidablymounted about the chain through an eye of the second hook means, and aflat plate having means defining an opening through the plate slidablyreceiving the chain and means defining an elongated slot through theplate, the slot communicating with the opening along the transversedimension of the slot, the slot sized to engage a link of the chainabout the smallest dimension of the link and prevent passage of thechain through the plate, the plate being slidably mounted about thechain through the opening and the plate being attached at a point remotefrom the opening to the chain at the end of the chain opposite the firsthook means, the second hook means being disposed along the chainintermediate the first hook means and the plate, and the plate beingdisposed along the chain, by means of the opening, intermediate thesecond hook means and the point of attachment of the chain to the plate,whereby when in fixed position the first hook means engages the edge ofthe flange, the second hook means engages the eye of the movable body,the chain is taut between the first and second hook means, the fiatplate abuts the eye of the second hook means and the slot of the plateengages the chain link next adjacent the eye of the second hook means,securing the movable body to the flange.

2. A device for securing a lifting eye containing hatch beam to thehorizontally extending flange of a beam under the hatch coaming whichincludes a chain having a first reversed eye hook attached to one endthereof, the first hook being adapted to engage the edge of the flange,a second reversed eye hook adapted to engage the eye of the hatch beam,the second hook being slidably mounted about the chain through the eyeof the second hook with the points of the first and second hooks infacing relationship, a flat plate having means defining an openingthrough the plate for slidably receiving the chain and having meansdefining an elongated slot through the plate, the slot communicatingwith the opening along the transverse dimension of the slot, the slotsized to engage a link of the chain about the smallest dimension of thelink and prevent passage of the chain through the plate, the plate beingslidably mounted about the chain through the opening and the plate beingattached at a point remote from the opening to the chain at the end ofthe chain opposite the first hook, the second hook being disposed alongthe chain intermediate the first hook and the plate and the plate beingdisposed along the chain, by means of the opening, intermediate thesecond hook and the attachment to the plate whereby when in fixedposition the first hook engages the edge of the flange, the second hookengages the lifting eye of the hatch beam, the chain is taut between thefirst hook and the second hook, the flat plate abuts the eye of thesecond hook, and the slot of the plate engages the chain link nextadjacent the eye of the second hook, securing the hatch beam to theflange of the beam under the hatch coaming.

3. The device of claim 2 in which the flat plate is attached to thechain at a point on the plate more remote from said slot than saidopening.

4. The device of claim 2 in which the means defining the opening and themeans defining the slot together define a keyhole shaped opening throughthe flat plate.

No references cited.

2. A DEVICE FOR SECURING A LIFTING EYE CONTAINING HATCH BEAM TO THEHORIZONTALLY EXTENDING FLANGE OF A BEAM UNDER THE HATCH COAMING WHICHINCLUDES A CHAIN HAVING A FIRST REVERSED EYE HOOK ATTACHED TO ONE ENDTHEREOF, THE FIRST HOOK BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE EDGE OF THE FLANGE,A SECOND REVERSED EYE HOOK ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE EYE OF THE HATCH BEAM,THE SECOND HOOK BEING SLIDABLY MOUNTED ABOUT THE CHAIN THROUGH THE EYEOF THE SECOND HOOK WITH THE POINTS OF THE FIRST AND SECOND HOOKS INFACING RELATIONSHIP, A FLAT PLATE HAVING MEANS DEFINING AN OPENINGTHROUGH THE PLATE FOR SLIDABLY RECEIVING THE CHAIN AND HAVING MEANSDEFINING AN ELONGATED SLOT THROUGH THE PLATE, THE SLOT COMMUNICATINGWITH THE OPENING ALONG THE TRANSVERSE DIMENSION OF THE SLOT, THE SLOTSIZED TO ENGAGE A LINK OF THE CHAIN ABOUT THE SMALLEST DIMENSION OF THELINK AND PREVENT PASSAGE OF THE CHAIN THROUGH THE PLATE, THE PLATE BEINGSLIDABLY MOUNTED ABOUT THE CHAIN THROUGH THE OPENING AND THE PLATE BEINGATTACHED AT A POINT REMOTE FROM THE OPENING TO THE CHAIN AT THE END OFTHE CHAIN OPPOSITE THE FIRST HOOK, THE SECOND HOOK BEING DISPOSED ALONGTHE CHAIN INTERMEDIATE THE FIRST HOOK AND THE PLATE AND THE PLATE BEINGDISPOSED ALONG THE CHAIN, BY MEANS OF THE OPENING, INTERMEDIATE THESECOND HOOK AND THE ATTACHMENT TO THE PLATE WHEREBY WHEN IN FIXEDPOSITION THE FIRST HOOK ENGAGES THE EDGE OF THE FLANGE, THE SECOND HOOKENGAGES THE LIFTING EYE OF THE HATCH BEAM, THE CHAIN IS TAUT BETWEEN THEFIRST HOOK AND THE SECOND HOOK, THE FLAT PLATE ABUTS THE EYE OF THESECOND HOOK, AND THE SLOT OF THE PLATE ENGAGES THE CHAIN LINK NEXTADJACENT THE EYE OF THE SECOND HOOK, SECURING THE HATCH BEAM TO THEFLANGE OF THE BEAM UNDER THE HATCH COAMING.